Somnium

for string orchestra

(1993)

Somnium was originally the first movement of a three part suite for string orchestra. I remember having brought a ridiculous score to my orchestra teacher that combined Penderecki-like effects and text from the communion part of the catholic mass (in latin of course). It looked like this:

He took some time to look at it and responded with that the music was reminiscent of music that might accompany a black mass.

Unfazed, I went home, wrote some more music and appended this piece to the two other movements and submitted it to him again. Once again, he responded with a no.

Eventually, my high school orchestra ended up playing only the first movement. Looking back at it now, two main elements still remain in my music today: that pulse and my obsession with 014.